It was a hoax that exposed the ageism at the heart of a youth-obsessed music business and made headlines all over the world. And now the story of how Alarm frontman Mike Peters got his own back on the business that turned its back on his talent is being made into a film. Darren Devine visits the North Wales set of the movie and chatted to stars Phil Daniels and Keith Allen

WHEN a teenage Mike Peters journeyed to London in 1979 to see The Who in concert and Phil Daniels in Quadrophenia it left a lasting mark on the burgeoning career of the wannabe Welsh punk rock idol.

Peters identified strongly with teenage rebel Jimmy played by Daniels in the seminal Brit flick depicting rivalry between Mods and Rockers in ’60s Brighton.

And now the man he describes as an “omnipresent influence” in his life effectively plays Peters in the new movie Vinyl, which sprang from a stunt orchestrated by the Welsh rocker in 2004.

Fifty-one-year-old Peters fooled the industry into believing teenage band The Poppy Fields were rock’s next big thing after their debut single 45 RPM broke into the top 30.

But the DJs getting worked up about the new, youthful retro-punk act and their lively sound were left with egg on their faces.

The teenagers seen belting out the number in the song’s video were just lip-synching fill-ins for the real artist behind the track – Peters himself, who before the hoax track was released had last broken into the top 30 in 1991.

For Peters, from Rhyl, his stunt proved what he always knew – his sound was as strong as ever, but an industry concerned more with image than content had turned a deaf ear to it.

Speaking from Japan following a charity climb up Mount Fuji, he told me he was thrilled with the casting for the new film.

He said: “When I found out it was Phil Daniels I was quite awe-struck to be honest.

“I was a real fan of his work in Quadrophenia and his band The Cross back in the early 1980s – I thought the music they were recording at the time was really original.

“He’s someone who has been omnipresent in my life without me realising it.

“I felt like I knew him even though I’d never met him before, especially from his role in Quadrophenia because I could really identify with that growing up.”

Father-of-two Peters, who now spends much of his time raising money for his charity the Love Hope Strength Foundation after twice beating cancer, added: “I remember going down to London in 1979 to see it (Quadrophenia) when it first came out in the cinema. I doubled it up as a day of going to see the film in the afternoon and then going to see The Who at Wembley Stadium in the night.

“It was one of those days I’ll never forget because I was only a young guy then and travelling down to London was quite an adventure.”

The pair recorded songs together for the soundtrack to the movie – an experience Peters enjoyed, but one that left him with the unnerving impression Daniels was taking the opportunity to get under his skin.

Peters added: “We ended up writing together on what is probably one of the main songs in the film and he was great to work with in the studio.

“But I got the sense that when we were at the mic, doing backing vocals or guitar he was sort of studying me as well, which is quite an unusual feeling.

“You could tell he was picking things up from the atmosphere of being in the studio with a rock ’n’ roll guy.”

The film is now being shot in North Wales - next page

Directed by Sara Sugarman the film is now being shot in North Wales and WoS caught up with the crew as they worked on scenes at a chapel in Dyserth, near Rhyl.

Alongside Daniels, Swansea-born comedian Keith Allen, father of pregnant singer Lily, plays a world weary bass player in the movie.

Against his better judgement he’s roped back into performing with the band Weapons of Happiness by Daniels’ character Johnny Jones.

Sugarman, a childhood friend of Peters, having both grown up in Rhyl, describes the movie as “Full Monty-type British comedy”. She told how even at 47 she remains a committed punk.

“When I was 13 I became a punk rocker overnight. It was 1976 and I was sitting in my front room in Rhyl and the Sex Pistols came on. It rocked my world.

“And that night I went into my brother’s bedroom got his old school blazer ripped it, put pins in it, got sugar and water (because we didn’t have hair gel in those days) and I never stopped dressing like that.”

Los Angeles-based Sugarman, whose other films include Mad Cows and Confessions Of A Teenage Drama Queen, added: “I walked out of my front door and that very same morning Mike Peters walked out of his front door and we all formed bands. Mike formed a band called The Toilets and I was in a band called The Fractures.

“So I knew Mike from when I was a kid because we all practised in the same rehearsal space in a garage in Rhyl.”

Daniels revealed he’s planning further collaborations with Peters once shooting on the film has ended.

“I’ve done some work with him on the lyrics and the music and I think we’re going to do some more. Once we’ve got the film out the way we’ll write more tunes.”

Now 51 himself, Daniels is philosophical rather than angry about the ageism that dominates not only the music industry but the media and film business more generally.

“It’s just one of those things that have happened over the years. Young bands sell more than older bands I suppose, but it seems to me with all these rewind tours there’s room for everybody now.”

Allen, 56, echoed his co-star, saying ageism has been a problem for performers for decades.

He added: “I think you’ll find the dynamic for innovation and change will normally come from young people and so it should because they’re the ones who are looking for something else.”